diff --git a/auxilary.py b/auxilary.py
index 6b22250..54ae887 100644
--- a/auxilary.py
+++ b/auxilary.py
@@ -2,30 +2,11 @@
 Various helper functions and classes
 '''
 
-import time, yaml, os
+import time, os
 from subprocess import check_output, DEVNULL, CalledProcessError
 from threading import Event
 from exceptionThreading import ExceptionThread
 
-class ConfigFile():
-	'''
-	Presents a config yaml file as a dict-like object
-	'''
-	def __init__(self, path):
-		self._path = path
-		with open(self._path, 'r') as f:
-			self._dict = yaml.safe_load(f)
-
-	def __getitem__(self, key):
-		return self._dict[key]
-	
-	def __setitem__(self, key, value):
-		self._dict[key] = value
-		
-	def sync(self):
-		with open(self._path, 'w') as f:
-			yaml.dump(self._dict, f, default_flow_style=False)
-
 class CountdownTimer(ExceptionThread):
 	'''
 	Launches thread which self terminates after some time (given in seconds).
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..419f4de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+'''
+Presents an interface for yaml files as a dict-like object
+'''
+
+import yaml
+from threading import Lock
+
+class _ConfigFile():
+	def __init__(self, path):
+		self._path = path
+		self._lock = Lock()
+		with open(self._path, 'r') as f:
+			self._dict = yaml.safe_load(f)
+
+	def __getitem__(self, key):
+		return self._dict[key]
+	
+	def __setitem__(self, key, value):
+		with self._lock:
+			self._dict[key] = value
+			self._sync()
+		
+	def _sync(self):
+		with open(self._path, 'w') as f:
+			yaml.dump(self._dict, f, default_flow_style=False)
+
+configFile = _ConfigFile('config.yaml')
diff --git a/gmail.py b/gmail.py
index 26d5093..4dbd416 100644
--- a/gmail.py
+++ b/gmail.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import logging, time
-from auxilary import ConfigFile
+from config import configFile
 from exceptionThreading import async
 from smtplib import SMTP
 from datetime import datetime
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from email.mime.text  import MIMEText
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-gmail = ConfigFile('config.yaml')['gmail']
+gmail = configFile['gmail']
 
 def _getNextDate():
 	m = datetime.now().month + 1
diff --git a/stateMachine.py b/stateMachine.py
index b46768c..5b4e1c6 100644
--- a/stateMachine.py
+++ b/stateMachine.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ from threading import Lock
 from functools import partial
 from collections import namedtuple
 
-from auxilary import CountdownTimer, ConfigFile, resetUSBDevice
+from auxilary import CountdownTimer, resetUSBDevice
+from config import configFile
 from sensors import setupDoorSensor, setupMotionSensor
 from gmail import intruderAlert
 from listeners import KeypadListener, PipeListener
@@ -69,7 +70,6 @@ class State:
 class StateMachine:
 	def __init__(self):
 		self.soundLib = SoundLib()
-		self._cfg = ConfigFile('config.yaml')
 		
 		def startTimer(t, sound):
 			self._timer = CountdownTimer(t, partial(self.selectState, SIGNALS.TIMOUT), sound)
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class StateMachine:
 			)
 		)
 
-		self.currentState = getattr(self.states, self._cfg['state'])
+		self.currentState = getattr(self.states, configFile['state'])
 		
 		self.transitionTable = {
 			(self.states.disarmed, 			SIGNALS.ARM): 			self.states.disarmedCountdown,
@@ -191,15 +191,14 @@ class StateMachine:
 		self.currentState.entry()
 
 	def selectState(self, signal):
-		with self._lock
+		with self._lock:
 			nextState = self.currentState.next(signal)
 			if nextState != self.currentState:
 				self.currentState.exit()
 				self.currentState = nextState
 				self.currentState.entry()
 			
-			self._cfg['state'] = self.currentState.name
-			self._cfg.sync()
+			configFile['state'] = self.currentState.name
 			
 			logger.info('state changed to %s', self.currentState)